Leave the Heat On
Provided by Willis North America
Protect your facility over Thanksgiving and Winter Break
What is the damage?
- Freeze, water damage and vandalism claims are the most frequent occuring claims from November through January.
Why did this happen?
- Chapter members turned off the heat thinking they would save some money.
- The pilot light on the furnance blew out.
- No one was in charge of checking on the house over the holiday breaks.
- The chapter house was not securely locked making it an attractive target to vandals and thieves.
Guide to Filling the Chatper House
One of the biggest problems facing house corporations annually is filling the chapter house. Ideally, the chapter is recruiting multiple members each year and every one is eager to live in the chapter house. But unfortunately, that’s not always the case. The following are some thoughts on how to fill the chapter house:
- The chapter’s bylaws should exist that require all members to live in the chapter facility for at least 1 year. (Depending on the size of the facility and the chapter facility, this minimum requirement might need to be higher)
- The chapter should require all of the officers to live in the house. If an officer is unable to fulfill his duties, then he needs to eithe find a replacement or step down from his position.
- Housing leases should be handed out to all members (that have either not met the above minimum requirement, or who wish to continue living in the facility) by no later than November 1st for the next academic year. This may need to be done sooner, depending on when off-campus apartments and the residence halls start signing leases for the upcoming year.
- Read more…
What do we do: Signing Leases
It is that time of year when undergraduates finalizing signing leases with house corporations or with local housing groups for residency next academic year. While house corporations are focused on filling the fraternity house, doesn’t the house corporation also have a responsibility to educate our younger brothers on what they should be looking for when signing leases?
Preparing the House for Winter Break
December is a month filled with an assortment of activities. Many of the month’s hours are devoted to studying for exams and making travel plans for holiday festivities. In this hectic atmosphere it is essential that chapters make preparations to secure the chapter house as members vacate the house for the holidays.
The leading risks to a fraternity house during the holiday breaks are water freeze, fire, vandalism and theft. The following checklist has been compiled to ensure that the house is protected during the winter break.
General Winter Maintenance
Multiple items should be evaluated and inspected prior to closing down the house to prepare for the winter month:
- Complete routine maintenance on furnace/boiler.
- Lock and inspect all windows and repair all broken glass.
- Clean gutters and downspouts to ensure proper roof drainage (improper roof drainage can cause ice damning to occur, which can cause interior water damage).
- Attach and secure downspouts with extension from foundation to prevent water damage, ensuring that they fully displace water away from foundation and other walking areas without draining onto the driveway, sidewalks, or patios.
- Inspect the hot water heater and exposed water lines and drain pipes for slow leaks.
- Drain water lines in lawn sprinkler system where appropriate.
- Clean exterior of chapter house, removing any yard debris or materials that could be used to start a fire, as well as any items stored next to the chapter house. Debris can provide an opportunity for an arsonist.
- Check security and safety lighting for the property.
- Service and clean fireplace and chimney and check for defects or debris.
- A plan to address ice and snow on sidewalks and parking lot needs to be agreed upon by the house corporation and chapter. If all parties are in agreement to contract this service out, this should be completed prior to the first snow.
- Make sure the house has the appropriate tools to remove snow and ice (shovels, ice melt, etc.).
Delta Phi moves into new $1.5 million home thanks to help from Norwich Housing Corporation
There are many moments worth celebrating in the course of a chapter’s history. Arguably the biggest events include installation or reinstallation, major anniversaries, and homecoming; but the one that frequently stands at the top of the list is the construction of a new chapter house.
For Delta Phi Chapter at the University of North Texas, that’s exactly what happened this past year. Over the last several months, Delta Phi has been busy building an approximately 15,000 sq. ft. house between Kappa Sigma and Sigma Phi Epsilon, just off Maple Street in Denton, TX. As with any construction project, the chapter has had multiple hurdles to overcome. But because of their dedicated alumni and undergraduates, Delta Phi celebrated the completion of their new home just in time for the fall. The new house has 21 bedrooms (including a president’s suite) and can house 41 brothers.
Campus Fire Safety
By J. Dennis Gentzel, P.E., Fire Programs Specialist, US Fire Administration
Every year college and university students experience a growing number of fire-related emergencies. There are several causes for these fires, however, most are due to a general lack of knowledge about fire safety and prevention.
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) offers these tips to help reduce and prevent the loss of life and property in dormitory and university housing fires.
The Facts
In most cases where fire fatalities occurred on college campuses, alcohol was a factor. There is a strong link between alcohol and fire deaths. In more than 50% of adult fire fatalities, victims were under the influence at the time of the fire. Alcohol abuse often impairs judgment and hampers evacuation efforts. Cooking is the leading cause of fire injuries on college campuses, closely followed by careless smoking and arson.
The Cause
Many factors contribute to the problem of dormitory housing fires.
- Improper actions prior to notifying the fire department delays emergency response.
- Student apathy is prevalent. Many are unaware that fire is a risk or threat in the environment.
- Evacuation efforts are hindered since fire alarms are often ignored.
- Building evacuations are delayed due to lack of preparation and preplanning.
- Vandalized and improperly maintained smoke alarms and fire alarm systems inhibit early detection of fires.
- Misuse of cooking appliances, overloaded electrical circuits and extension cords increase the risk of fires.
Alumni Corporation Repurchases Chapter House
Omega Repurchases Chapter House after 5 Years
Richard Maltz, Omega House Corporation President
Theta Chi of Penn State, Inc. is pleased to announce that prior to Penn State’s Homecoming weekend, the alumni corporation completed the repurchase of the chapter house at 523 South Allen Street from the Norwich Housing Corporation. Theta Chi of Penn State secured a primary loan with a local State College bank and a 2nd mortgage from Norwich.
Having sold the house to National five years ago, Norwich took great care of our chapter house. They brought the house up to code and took care of many other issues with the property.
We thank Norwich Housing Corporation and its officers for helping Omega Chapter in their time of need and for caring for our home the last five years. All of Omega’s brothers owe them a huge debt of gratitude.
To follow the news at Omega/Penn State, check out their website at www.thetachiomega.com
Providing Living for Today’s Student Since 1928
Since 1928, The Norwich Housing Corporation (NHC) has had a proven track record of assisting Theta Chi house corporations with the acquisition, construction and renovation of fraternity houses for Theta Chi chapters.
With programs such as the low-interest Life Safety Loan and the Ladue Emergency Loan, the NHC is a leader among national fraternal organizations by providing funding for housing construction and renovation projects.
Housing is a key component to the Fraternity’s growth and success. Working together, the NHC and Theta Chi house corporations can meet the needs of today’s students and improve our ability to compete in the modern housing market.
For more information about the NHC, or to request a loan application, please contact the International Headquarters by calling 317-824-1881 or e-mailing norwich_loans@thetachi.org
Campus Fire Forum 2011
The Center for Campus Fire Safety presents the nation’s premier campus fire safety training event of the year. The 2011 Campus Fire Forum will be November 7-9 in Indianapolis, Indiana at the Indianapolis Marriott.
The Forum will offer educational workshops, conducted by some of the nation’s leading fire safety and industry professionals, and hosted networking receptions. The Forum will also be showcasing the advancements in products that provide solutions to campus fire safety enhancements. And don’t forget the Town Meeting, which has always been a highly successful group discussion forum.
On Tuesday, November 8, several representatives from the Greek community will be presenting and discussing several sessions regarding Greek housing
The 2011 Greek presenters include:
- Jereme Grinslade, Director of Alumni & Real Estate,Theta Chi Fraternity; Administrative Officer, The Norwich Housing Corporation
- Andy Longo, Director of Residential Life, Delta Tau Delta
- Sara Sterley, Director of Risk Management Education, MJ Insurance
- Mick McGill, VP Client Advocacy, Willis
Hurricane Preparedness
Irene, the 9th named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season strengthened over Puerto Rico becoming the first hurricane. In addition, based on the current forecast, Irene is poised to come very close to the southeast United States later this week. NOW is the time to start preparing since all hurricanes and tropical storms pose serious threats to property and business revenue stream. The following is a synopsis of loss prevention measures from Willis that you can take to reduce property damage and business downtime from wind and flood.
BEFORE THE STORM
- Review/update business continuity/disaster recovery plan.
- Review procedures with your internal emergency response team to ensure all positions are filled and all members are properly trained.
- Make sure that all of the brothers in the chapter share contact information with each other.
- Make sure the house corporation and chapter advisers have contact information for brothers living in and out of the house.
- Check the general condition of the building – specifically the roof covering, roof flashing and roof drains. Make all necessary repairs.
- Order emergency supplies such as plywood for windows, mops, brooms, tarpaulins for key equipment, sandbags, etc.
- Identify key equipment, stock and supplies, and vital records that will need to be relocated or moved.
- Assemble materials needed to secure outside and/or roof mounted equipment such as cranes, signs, trailers and HVAC equipment.
- Monitor commercial TV, radio and/or internet web sites to keep abreast of weather conditions and issuance of watches and/or warnings.
- Test all generators, emergency lighting, UPS equipment and sump pumps to ensure proper operation.
Fraternity Housing News
- Student from Hanover seriously injured in Hampden-Sydney fire - Richmond Times Dispatch January 27, 2012
- Residence halls, greek houses work to control bedbugs - Daily Nebraskan January 25, 2012
- Lawsuit filed after injury at KU Fiji party moving to Douglas County - Lawrence Journal World January 27, 2012Lawsuit filed after injury at KU Fiji party moving to Douglas CountyLawrence Journal WorldThe investigation followed an incident during which KU freshman Matt Fritzie was injured while diving into a makeshift pool at the fraternity house on Sept. 17, 2010. By George Diepenbrock The lawsuit filed after a Kansas University Phi Gamma Delta ...
- Second annual Green Cup contest aims to reduce energy use on campus - Washington University Record January 27, 2012Washington University RecordSecond annual Green Cup contest aims to reduce energy use on campusWashington University RecordStudents living in on-campus housing on the South 40 and North Side and in fraternities are shutting off lights, sharing fridges and unplugging their device chargers to win the WUSTL Green Cup. The Green Cup recognizes the South 40 resid […]
- Construction underway for women's fraternity - SDSU Collegian January 25, 2012SDSU CollegianConstruction underway for women's fraternitySDSU CollegianWith limited time and few options, the fraternity decided to move forward with plans of living in the new Greek Village. Stretched out along 20th Avenue and across from McCrory Gardens, the Alpha Xi Delta house will be the first of many to occupy the ...
- Undergraduate Student Government meeting covers options for Greek housing ... - BG News January 24, 2012Undergraduate Student Government meeting covers options for Greek housing ...BG NewsAssociate Dean of Students Chris Bullins spoke to senators and gave a Greek housing project update. The Greek housing project is in Phase two and is projected to move into the next phase in October, Bullins said. During the first phase, ...
- South End neighborhood groups alter original plans for Belisle School meetings - Fall River Herald News January 28, 2012
- National Signing Day: The 50 Best Campuses in College Football - Bleacher Report January 26, 2012
- Home Alone: Two fraternity houses stand empty - The Gamecock January 11, 2012Home Alone: Two fraternity houses stand emptyThe GamecockBy Colin Campbell, Editor-in-Chief Two fraternity houses in USC's Greek Village are currently empty, and in the next year, both could have new occupants. Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity has vacated its house for the semester after hazing allegations ...
- Culture Shock for the Greek Community - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun January 23, 2012
